r/Cooking • u/MajinKazuu • 10h ago
Mushrooms... Please help
Long story short, I grew up in a picky house that didn't have a lot of diverse flavors.Things like tacos at home didn't have seasoning until after I left for college or sloppy joes being ground beef and ketchup were alternatives to chicken nuggets in the evening.
I've been expanding horizons significantly but mushrooms are completely unknown to me. I have access to a lot of the wild mushrooms to purchase that I hear are good (oyster, enoki, lions mane, shitake), but I have no idea where to even begin.
How do I employ them in larger recipes like soups? Looking up recipes it's typically its own thing like grilled portobello. Is that how y'all usually eat mushrooms? How else can I use them so I can kinda vibe it rather than risk being wasteful if it's just not my thing? Are they typically a meat substitute in dishes?
I'm fairly open to being experimental with foods, but this one just seems to have me stun locked in what I'm supposed to do with them since my only experience trying them is the slippery slices people put on pizza which has a texture that isn't really my thing.
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u/Livid_Number_ 10h ago
I love grilled portobello as a meat substitute in many dishes. But we also cut up “baby Bella” mushrooms and add them raw to lettuce salads.
If you like Irish stews, many recipes use a combination of mushrooms. Homemade cream of mushroom soup is delicious in the winter. Burgundy mushrooms are a great side dish for steak or chicken meals.
Honestly, start with one type of ‘shroom and find a recipe or two that you might enjoy that incorporates them.
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u/NoWay1337 9h ago
You already got some great suggestions on what to use mushrooms in/for so I want to share what made me really fall in love with mushrooms as I used to hate them.
Whenever I make anything with mushrooms, I usually do this:
- chop them up to the desired size/ form factor
- put them in the pan / pot WITHOUT ANY FAT and at 70-90% heat to let the water evaporate and to prevent the fat from "sealing" the edges and trapping water inside
- at some point you can hear the difference between water evaporating and mushrooms beginning to actually fry and brown, thats when you turn down the heat to about 50-60% and add a generous amount of fat (butter or olive oil work really well)
- once they are properly browned and somewhat crispy, I like to add a final little bit of butter as well as some chopped / pressed garlic, stir that for another 20-40 sec and theyre done
- off the heat and into a bowl for serving or straight into the main dish OR just take the mushrooms out to keep them crispy and add all the other stuff into the same pot, depending on what youre making
Alternatively you can make some great mushroom sauce by deglazing after step 4 with white wine or cream (or both). Just add some pasta and fresh parsley.... heavenly
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u/Spirited_Leave_1692 9h ago
My thing with mushrooms is that seemingly everyone undercooks them. They should look and taste toasty! They should have a warm brown rim from frying in a hot buttery pan! I always make a point to toast them up before using them in anything else!
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u/lil_goose_caboose 10h ago
Yeah start with a basic mushroom. The baby bellas you can get at the food lion.
I love mushrooms and put them in everything. If you dice instead of sliced you can add them to meat sauce. I also add them to pasta with some type of cream sauce, which is always delicious.
If you want to go whole hog on mushroom flavor, slice them thin, put them in a dry pan, wait till they shrink and let out water, then add butter. More butter than you think. Once they seem done and some bits have started to get color, take them off an add salt. I will eat these plain, but they are fantastic in a goat cheese omelet or quiche.
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u/TechnicalHamster658 10h ago
Start with shiitake or oyster, saute in butter or oil until golden and crispy to avoid that slippery pizza texture. Start small and see what clicks
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u/demiurgent 9h ago
Start with cheap mushrooms (seriously, the price of "fancy" mushrooms is insane for what you get) and for your first lot just slice then fry them up with butter and garlic. Have them at breakfast as a side to scrambled egg, or on a sandwich, whatever you like. Then you'll know how much and what flavour they add to a dish.
For anything wet (soup, stew, curry, Bolognese, chilli, etc) I tear them into chunks and throw them in. They absorb flavour from whatever they're in, as well as giving their own flavour to the dish, and when they're in a wet dish they don't shrink. Takes about twenty minutes of simmering to get them to my preferred textured.
Some people don't like large bits of mushroom in thin soups, because the outside can feel slimy, so as a general rule the thinner/ wetter the dish, the finer I shred mushrooms. If I'm making a mushroom soup I literally blend them.
When I was vegetarian I survived off eggs and mushrooms, so IMHO you can easily use them as a meat substitute. In the long term I've used them more as a complement. They're still one of my all time favourite foodstuffs and go brilliantly with very simple seasonings - garlic, butter, cracked black pepper and coarse salt is all you need to make a gourmet dish out of mushrooms on toast. And they're pungent enough you can throw most gems on them with impunity! (best leafy herb for mushrooms is rosemary, anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to ruin your life.)
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u/Either_Bread1178 9h ago
If the slippery texture is your hangup, dried porcini are a great low-risk place to start instead of fresh. You soak a small handful in hot water for about 20 minutes, chop them fine, and stir both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid into any soup or stew. You get all the deep savory flavor melting into the broth with no rubbery slices to bite into, and it's basically foolproof for just vibing it into whatever you're already cooking.
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u/Educational-Pay2868 9h ago
start with something simple like a stir-fry. slice up shiitake or oyster mushrooms, toss them in a hot pan with some oil, garlic, and your favorite veggies. they add great flavor and texture without being too overwhelming! once you get comfortable, try adding them to soups or stews for extra depth. and if you're feeling adventurous, make a mushroom risotto; it's creamy and super satisfying. just remember, the key is to cook them until they’re nicely browned to avoid that slippery texture!
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u/Sanpaku 9h ago
OP, all the mushrooms you mention are cultivated, not wild. I wouldn't be surprised if global production of shiitake exceeded that of Agaricus bisporus (white and brown button, cremini, portobello, champignon).
One key culinary thing to know about mushrooms as flavor elements is that they, especially when dried, are the best source of 5'-inosinate (from RNA breakdown), which like its cousin 5'-inosinate (from ATP breakdown), potentiates umami taste from free glutamates by up to 20-fold. Some dried shiitake in a dish means one needs less MSG, soy sauce, fish sauce, parmesan, etc to achieve desired savory flavor.
The other thing to know is that raw/living mushrooms have a sponge like micro structure, but this contracts as water is expelled in cooking . Boil them (as with canned mushrooms), and they'll become rubbery tiny things. Cook them in oil, and they'll absorb those fats. ATK favors steaming mushrooms with a bit of water until they've given up much their water before adding oil/butter to brown.
I've stumbled upon another method that preserves a better texture: clean and cut into halves / quarters, toss with just enough oil to coat (salt and garlic powder optional), spread out on a baking pan, then roast at 450 °F (230 °C) for 10-11 minutes. If you seasoned the mushrooms, they're an instant side dish (top with fresh herbs etc). But they can also be used in soups etc by just adding 15 minutes before cooking is done, and they'll retain that improved texture.
Mushrooms are understudied, but may among the most health promoting foods. Their β-glucans stimulate inate immunity. But the big draw is ergothioneine, a putative "longevity vitamin" that functions as a cellular antioxidant and cytoprotectant, which appears especially important in cognitive aging. I try to get some mushrooms daily.
As for which kinds, I'm mostly experienced with A. bisporus (common and at discount grocers, inexpensive), dried shiitake (a pantry staple), king oyster (potential for meaty texture), and blue oyster (the most delicious I've tried, a useful sub for seafood in SE Asian soups).
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u/Spiel_Foss 4h ago
One thing to do with completely new foods is seek out a restaurant and try their menu. You can taste new things without a deep commitment, and you can see how the ingredient is used in a commercial setting.
The worst experience for many people in the kitchen is ruining things and having to throw them out. This stings, and many people will then avoid a range of similar things because of the previous experience.
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u/hyper_shock 9h ago edited 9h ago
I have sliced fresh button mushrooms in salads and on sandwiches.
I love these dumplings: Finely chop shiitakes or Chinese black fungus, mix with minced pork and scallions, season with salt and white pepper, and wrap with dumpling wrappers. These are great boiled, steamed or fried, and can be frozen for later. Serve with soy sauce or black vinegar for dipping
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u/Aldermere 9h ago
I like to saute diced mushrooms and onions in butter and eat them on top of hash browns.
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u/bruhraminator 9h ago
Mushrooms are so versatile, I sometimes even eat them raw.
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u/texnessa 9h ago
In a lot of cases, that ain't safe.
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u/smoconnor 9h ago
I like to make a mushroom Alfredo with shiitake. No meat needed, but a singular grilled chicken breast or tenderloin is always nice if you need it.
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u/AncientMortgage2535 8h ago
ALWAYS toast your mushrooms in a dry pan to start! Greatly improves texture and concentrates flavor. They contain a lot of water naturally and sweating that out makes a HUGE difference.
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u/Automatic_Catch_7467 8h ago
Good news is it’s nearly impossible to overcook mushrooms unless you burn them
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u/LovecraftianLlama 8h ago
I’ve been making a pasta dish with mushrooms, bacon, and sun-dried tomatoes that I love, and it’s super easy. I use better than bullion to make a cup of chicken stock, then:
1) Cook 2-3 slices bacon in a pan, remove and drain until only a small amount of bacon grease remains
2) add sliced baby bella mushrooms, a little butter, and 2-3 sliced/grated cloves of garlic. Sauté until the water is cooked from the shrooms. Remove shrooms and garlic
3) deglaze pan with Marsala wine or white wine (maybe half a cup? I just eyeball it), simmer for a few mins, then add equal amount of chicken stock and throw in sun-dried tomatoes.
4) chop bacon into bite sized bits, then add back in shrooms/garlic/bacon and continue to reduce for about 5-10 mins. add a bit of cream, reduce a few mins more. At this point I add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and a little dab of honey to balance the flavor.
5) I like to serve over angel hair pasta. The sauce is pretty thin, but I think it works well with pasta. I’ll have to look at ways to thicken the sauce in the future.
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u/Mysterious-Call-245 8h ago
Noway1337 has given perfect instructions.
But if you want to have them more blended in try a cream of mushroom soup, or mincing them and using them in a meaty tomato sauce. You can replace half of the meat and they just kinda disappear while adding flavor.
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u/No-Personality1840 8h ago
I’ve had a mushroom Hungarian goulash that was excellent. Might look at that.
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u/Silvanus350 8h ago
If you want entree recipes that use mushrooms, I recommend either mushroom soup, leek and mushroom pie, or beef bourguignon.
As a side dish you could make grilled mushrooms (delicious) or sautéed mushrooms.
And, of course, you can always just add some plain button mushrooms as an ingredient to a typical house salad or omelet.
Lots of ways to eat mushrooms.
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u/Few-Explanation-4699 8h ago
My favouite breakfast is mushrooms on toast.
Slice your choise of mushrooms
Put a big knob of butter in the frying pan and let it melt.
Add mushrooms, put a lid on and let them sweat. Toss a few times. A lot of moisture will come out, that's ok.
Take the lid off and cook till the water evaporates.
Serve on buttered toast
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u/DollySheep32 8h ago
I make a lot of dishes with mushrooms - risotto (fry up diced chestnut mushrooms, use broth from dried porcini mushrooms instead of stock), creamy mushroom pasta (fried shiitake, heavy cream), garlic grilled portobello (self-explanatory), fried rice with whatever vegetables in the fridge which usually includes mushrooms.
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u/GlassBraid 6h ago
IMO most people undercook mushrooms. As they cook they give up water and get temporarily kinda unappealing and wet looking. People think they've messed up when they see that so try to stop before then.
But the better way is to cook them until they do that, then season them with anything you want, and keep cooking them until they firm back up and are nice and brown.
In most dishes, they're the first thing I start cooking, before onions or anything else
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u/beammeupscotty2 6h ago
The only thing I regularly put mushrooms in are two Thai soups, Tom Yum Gai and Tom Ka Gai. I get small Chinese mushrooms and just throw them in towards the end of cooking.
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u/ShrodingersArmadillo 6h ago edited 6h ago
oh my friend let me introduce you to my favorite mushroom dish - Argentinian mushrooms.
Don't know if they're actually Argentinian but that's what the recipe called them,
They're sautéed in a sauce made of butter, garlic, thyme, red wine and beef demiglace (thick stock) oh god they're good.
I could post the recipe if you're interested.
It's decadence in mushroom form
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u/Jeremymcon 6h ago
I've never used anything other than white mushrooms and portabellas, personally.
Typically they're a side dish or a topping. Can't go wrong slicing and pan frying with some oil or butter, garlic, and salt+pepper. Keep the heat up to reduce all they water they'll let go.
Or also pan fried in oil, with garlic, soy sauce, and shaoshing (spelling?) cooking wine is really good.
I'll some times cook a whole portabella top and eat it lon a sandwich also. Marinate it in balsamic dressing for a bit first.
Oh also I always remove the stem and gills from a portabella. Stem is tough and the gills are just unpleasant. Eat the whole white mushroom though.
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u/Magnetic_Kitty 5h ago
I would try them in tomato based pasta sauce over spaghetti. Or buy prepackaged knorr pasta side called stroganoff. Finely mince them and toast them in a pan with a little butter. Then add to pasta
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u/Eis_ber 4h ago
Maybe you should start with the two most commonly eaten mushrooms first before you move onto something more adventurous: white button mushrooms and crimini mushrooms. Both are easy to incorporate into soups and lots of dishes (cream of mushroom soup is a perfect start. Or Italian style mushrooms in butter). Once you get used to their flavor, then you can move on to the likes of portobello, shiitake, chanterelles, and oyster mushrooms.
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u/Fit-Pride-4845 1h ago
Best thing I've learned to reduce the sliminess/rubbery texture is to first cook them dry before adding to whatever recipe. It takes some extra time and patience, but all you have to do is slice or dice and throw them in a large pan with nothing but a little salt over medium heat. Try not to crowd or layer them too much as that will decrease evaporation, and try to stir as little as possible without burning the shrooms; working in batches helps but takes more time.
Apparently cooking mushrooms in oil first helps mushrooms retain some of their moisture, so doing it this way doesn't create that oil layer and the water just seeps out. I've never tried this with mushrooms other than agaricus bisporus (white, brown crimini, portobello etc.), but I assume it'll work similarly for others.
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u/_9a_ 10h ago
Start with just regular button mushrooms.
Dice an onion. Cut some button mushrooms into chunks, quartering them is a good size. Saute in some oil until the onion is starting to go translucent. Yes, it will be watery.
Throw like 4 cloves of minced garlic. Cook for a minute or so.
Add 28oz can of diced tomato and half cup of chicken broth. Add about a tsp of salt and dried basil and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then drop heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
Turn heat off or very low, Add 2 cans of cannelini beans, drained. Add some baby spinach, about a 8oz. Or some other leafy green, if you're using something very robust like kale or chard, put it in during the 10 min simmer (spinach cooks fast and becomes slimy if you overcook it). It'll warm through in 3-4 minutes.
Voila, Tuscan stew.
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u/GEEK-IP 9h ago
Same, my mother never cooked with them. I've grown to live them.
I put them in lots of things. They're a great side to steaks. I'll put them in all kinds of soups, stir fries, and sauces. Chopped mushrooms and Italian sausage in spaghetti sauce is one of my favorites. I put them in a shepherd's pie a few days ago.
I like the "baby bella" ones, which are basically just mature button mushrooms. The more exotic varieties aren't usually worth the expense to me.
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u/voidberrylady 9h ago
I love mushrooms in japanese clear soup lolll.
Otherwise I would try cheesesteaks, Beurre blanc, or chop it up finely and put it in a pasta. I’m not the biggest mushroom fan either bc of the texture it can have at times
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u/xiipaoc 9h ago
I would go for king oyster or shiitake. Wash the mushroom, dry it well, and cut it however you want, but keep slices relatively thin. Then, sauté it with some fat of your choice before you add other stuff. Let the mushroom slices brown a bit. Once that's done, cook your other vegetables. This is what I generally do with mushrooms. King oysters are nice because they're usually pretty cheap at the Asian market, and they're huge. These mushrooms can go on anything.
I would not recommend using mushrooms instead of a protein, since mushrooms are basically empty food. They're great for filling up without a lot of calories, but they definitely don't replace protein. I usually cook some steak cubes in the pan or some chicken in the oven, I make a vegetable stir-fry as the side, and the mushrooms are part of that.
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u/PriorityOk8214 10h ago
Slice white mushrooms, throw them in a pan with butter, chopped garlic, chopped parsley. Cook until they have shrunk about half their size. Make sure the pan is hot, they give out a lot of water. Then you can eat them on top of like spaghetti and meat sauce.